Judaism• The oldest of these, Judaism, was the first religion known to assert

the existence of one God.• The religion began 4,000 years ago in present-day Israel• According to Jewish tradition, Jews emigrated from Israel to Egypt

where they were enslaved until Moses led them back to Israel and presented them with the Ten Commandments

• Today, there are over 13 million Jews mainly located in the United States, Europe, and Israel.

Monotheism. Other ancient peoples were animists or polytheists (believing in many gods)

Ten Commandments. The Jewish religion emphasizes the importance of living justly and following God’s commandments. These ten laws are:1)No other Gods2)No idols3)No swearing4)Keep Sabbath5)Honor parents6)Do not kill7)Do not commit adultery8)Do not steal9)Do not lie10)Do not covet

Old Testament. The history of the ancient Hebrews and their relationship with God is told in the first books of the Bible, known as the Old Testament. Jews refer to the first five books of the Old Testament as the Torah

KEY FEATURES OF JUDAISM

DIFFUSION OF JUDAISM

• Judaism has diffused through forced migration and relocation diffusion• They do not actively seek converts, so there are

between 12-14 million people that practice Judaism worldwide• Most are in Israel, the United States, and Europe

JUDAISM

Origins and History

Adherents Worldwide

God(s) and Universe

Human Situation and Life’s Purpose

Afterlife Practices Texts

The religion of the Hebrews (c. 1300 BC), especially after the destruction of the in 70 AD.

14 million One God, Yahweh (YHVH).

Obey God's commandments, live ethically. Focus is more on this life than the next.

Not historically emphasized. Beliefs vary from no afterlife to shadowy existence to the World to Come (similar to heaven).

Circumcision at birth, bar/bat mitzvah at adulthood. Synagogue services on Saturdays. No pork or other non-kosher foods. Holidays related to historical events.

Bible (Tanakh), Talmud

CHRISTIANITY• Christianity began 2,000 years

ago• It is based in the teachings of

Jesus, a Jew born in Bethlehem. Jesus was known to his followers as the Messiah, or savior

• After his death, his followers, known as the apostles, spread the Christian religion which attracted people who believed in an afterlife in which all believers (rich and poor) would be rewarded

• Today there are over 2 billion Christians located on all continents, and is the world’s most popular religion

Role of Jesus. Christians believe Jesus was the son of God, and sacrificed himself to save humankind from punishment for their sins. Christians believe that after his death, Jesus was resurrected and rose to Heaven

Christian Conduct. Christians believe they will be saved and will go to Heaven after death if they have faith in Christ as their savior and treat others with love and respect. Christians believe in the Golden Rule-”do unto others as you would have them do unto you”

The Christian Bible. The sacred book of Christianity consists of the Old Testament and the New Testament, which describes the life of Jesus, and the works of the apostles

Major Beliefs of Christianity

DIFFUSION OF CHRISTIANITY

• Christians actively seek converts, so some diffusion is contagious (especially through Western Europe)• Largest and most dispersed religion• Today there are almost two billion Christians on every

continent

• Worldwide diffusion occurred during the Age of Imperialism• Today missionaries travel attempting to convert

those in other places to Christianity• EU and Missionaries

CHRISTIANITY

Origins and History

Adherents Worldwide

God(s) and Universe

Human Situation and Life’s Purpose

Afterlife Practices Texts

Founded byJesus Christ inc. 30 AD,.

2 billion One God who isa Trinity ofFather, Son, andHoly Spirit

All have sinnedand are therebyseparated from God. Salvation is through faith in Christ and, for some,sacraments andgood works.

Eternal heavenor hell (ortemporarypurgatory).

Prayer, Bible study,baptism, Eucharist(Communion),church on Sundays,numerous holidays.

The Bible(Old and NewTestaments)

ISLAM

• Islam means “submission” (to Allah) in Arabic• A follower of Islam is called a Muslim, or “one who submits

to God”

• Islam was founded by Mohammed around 600 c.e. He had a vision that commanded him to convert Arab tribes to the belief in a single God, know as “Allah”, the same God worshipped by Jews and Christians

• His teachings are contained in the Qu’ran (Koran), the Islamic Holy Book.

• Today, there are over 1 billion Muslims, with over 20% living in Arabic-speaking countries. Indonesia is the country with the highest number of Muslims.

Confession of Faith.

Muslims must affirm: “There is no God but Allah and Mohammed is his prophet”

Prayer.

Muslims must pray five times a day, while facing east towards the city of Mecca

Charity

Muslims must give money to the poor and pay taxes to the mosque

Fasting

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims cannot eat or drink during daylight hours

Pilgrimage

If physically able, a Muslim must make a pilgrimage (religious trip) to Mecca

The Five Pillars of Faith are the basic religious duties that all followers of Islam must fulfill

DIFFUSION OF ISLAM

• Before his death, Muhammad had converted kings on the Arabian Peninsula • They spread Islam across their empire through

invasion and conquest• Islam spread across Northern Africa, Southern Europe,

and Southeast Asia very quickly

• Today in North and South America, it is the result of relocation diffusion• It is currently the fastest growing religion, and has 1.3

billion adherents

ISLAM

Origins and History

Adherents Worldwide

God(s) and Universe

Human Situation and Life’s Purpose

Afterlife Practices Texts

Muhammad, 622 AD,

1.3 billion (Sunni: 940 million)

One God (Allah in Arabic)

Humans must submit (islam) to the will of God to gain after death.

or Hell. Five Pillars: Faith, Prayer, Alms, Pilgrimage, Fasting. Mosque services on Fridays. Ablutions before prayer. No alcohol or pork. Holidays related to the pilgrimage and fast of Ramadan.

Qur'an (Scripture);Hadith (tradition)